Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-04-22
TIE LATE DIR. =. 6. HOL.
LANDS OPINION.
A PHYSICIAN CLIMBING THE EDITORIAL
STAIRS.

The columns of the newspapers APP
pear to be flooded with proprietary medi'
cine advertisements. As we cast our
eye over them, il brings to mind an ar
ticle that was published by the late DIR.
Holland in Scribner's Monthly. He says:
Nevertheless. it is a fact that many Of
the best proprietary medicines OF the
day were more successful than many
physicians, and most OF them, it should
be remembered, were at first discovered
or used i'm actual medical practice.
When, however, any shrewd person,
knowing their virtue, and foreseeing
their popularity, secures and adyertises
them, then, in the opinion OF the Big
oted, all virtue went out Of them"
Is not this absurd? This great man
appreciated the real merits Of popular
remedies, and the absurdity Of those that
derided them because public attention
was called to the article and the evil
dence of their cures. If the most noted
physician should announce that he had
made study of any certain organ or
disease of the body, or make his sign
larger than the code size, though he
may have practiced medicine and been
a leader i'm all medical counsels, not
withstanding all this, if he should PRE-
sumo to advertise and decline to give his
discovery to the public, he would be
pronounced quack and humbug. al
though he may lIaye spent his entire
life and all his available funds in per-
fecting his investigations. Again we
say, "absurd."
II an ulcer is found upon ones arm,
and is cured by some dear soul of
grandmother, outside of the code, it will
be pronounced by the medical profession
ar ulcer of little importance. But II
treated under the code, causing sleep
less nights for month, with the scien-
tific treatment, viz, plasters, washes,
dosing with morphine, arsenic and other
vile substances, given 10 prevent blood
poisoning or deaden pain, and yet the
ulcer becomes malignant, and amputa-
ton is made necessary at last, to save
life, yet all done according to the ''isms"
of the medical code, this is much more
gratifying to the medical profession,
and adds more dignity to that distin-
guisheG order than TO be cured by the
dear old grandmother's remedy.
ment, yet we believe that it expresses
the true standing Of the medical pro-
fession in regard to remedies discovered
outside OF their special ''isms." One of
the mos: perplexing things of the day
is the popularity of certain remedies,
especially Warmers safe cure, which
we find for sale everywhere. The ply
sician of the highest standing is ready
to concede its merits and sustain the
theories the proprietors have made
that is, that it benefits in most of the
ailments of the human system because
il assists in putting the Kidneys in
proper condition, thereby aiding in
throwing off the impurities Of the
blood, while others with less honesty
and experience deride, and are willing
to see their patient die scientifically, and
according to the code, rather than have
him cured by this great remedy. Yet
we notice that the popularity of the
medicine continues 10 grow year by
wear. The discoverer comes boldly be-
fore the people with its merits, and pro-
claims them from door TO door in our
opinion much more hOnOrably than the
physician who, perchance, may secure
patient from some catastrophe, aLd Is
permitted to set bone Of an arm or
finger. which he does with great dig
nifty. yet very soon after takes the lib
erty TO climb the editors back stairs at
2 O'Clock in the morning to have it an
nounced in the morning paper that "Dr.
So-and-so was in attendance" and thus
secures for his benefit beautiful and
free advertisement. We shall leave it
to our readers to say which is the wis.,
est and most honorable.